I would think that a 14 year old will be thrilled with $30 a day. It shows that you are treating him like a professional so he will probably do a very professional job.

I have a pet sitting business and I would probably charge around $18 per visit, but I also have to cover gas expenses, insurance, etc.

You may already plan on doing this, but one thing I always recommend is that you contact your vet and let them know someone is taking care of your pets while you are gone. That way, they have your authorization if any of your pets are sick or injured. They may also want a credit card or a form filled out showing the maximum $ amount you will authorize.

I hope you have a great vacation. While you are gone, your pets will probably be lounging around and getting really spoiled, so try to relax and have fun! :)

LOL - yep, I pretty much have decided that $30 will be it. His mom thinks that is too much and she will have it out with me later (ha ha ha).

Thanks for the tip about the vet. I never thought of that. I know when I took care of my neighbor's dog (same neighbor) the dog developed a UTI. I took the dog to their vet and I just paid for it. It wasn't an issue because I knew my neighbor would pay me back which she did.

Sandy, can you go over to Hamsterific and add to what I posted? There's a person with a sick pig and it doesn't seem like the vet they took it to knew much about pigs. Try to get her to post here, I mentioned it.

Mooser, I'm concerned about this. Vet has prescribed ChlorPalm for what is apparently enteritis. Want to chime in? This person really needs to post here for advice.

I was going to also suggest what Tracis did. At the end of the vacation, if all went well, get him a gift card to a book store (e.g., Borders) where he could get books or CDs, or other stuff. No mom can really take issue with books.

It would be best if he could be there when you do the cage cleanings. Be sure to leave enough food, bedding, meds, and anything else for him, and show him where everything is. Write down a schedule for him to know when to do things, and make sure he realizes that the dog and pigs can't be together, and the rats and birds can't be together, and so on so he is aware of that kind of stuff.

Leave all kinds of emergency contacts for yourself, and the vets info for them.

Definately leave notes on what to do, but don't get too picky. Just because you do all kinds of little extra things like vacuum poo 3 times a day, doesn't mean he has to. If you give him too much to do or remember, he will get overwhelmed. Just focus on basic care. Don't leave a novel for him to read, just an outline that he can refer back to. Maybe even leave the notes for each animal next to that cage.

Try to make things as easy as possible for him and give him a schedule to roughly follow and space things out. Maybe GP cage Tuesday, rat cage Wednesday, so it doesn't take forever to do.

Leave the GP food next to the GP's, and the rat food next to the rats, instead of everything in a cupboard away from the animals so it is right there for him and he doesn't have to keep going back and forth.

Besure he has trash bags and all that he will need and doesn't have to go hunting for stuff (I hate that).

My worst problem is that I am light switched challenged. I have the hardest time finding light switches in new houses in the dark (It is probably just me) but if he doesn't know where they are, you could show him.

You might want to pay him some up front. Not all. Maybe $50 bucks. Sometimes that shows you trust him, and will make him want to do a good job since he has already been paid some for it. Thats how I feel sometimes.

I agree - I do try to make it as painless as possible for the sitter as far as leaving notes. I usually clean the cage twice a week, but I'm only asking him to do it once. - the animals will be fine. Also all veggies will be prebagged so all he has to do is take them out of the fridge. All fish food will be premeasured and placed in pill boxes so all he has to do is dump it in. He's done all of it before except clean the cages. I will show that to him the night before we leave since that is when I will be cleaning them.